Which is a Better Form of Exercise: Daily or Weekly?

The exercise consisted of ‘maximal voluntary eccentric bicep contractions’ performed on a machine, which measures muscle strength in each muscle contraction you would do at the gym. An eccentric contraction is when the muscle is lengthening; in this case, like lowering a heavy dumbbell in a bicep curl.

Two groups performed 30 contractions per week, with one group doing six contractions a day for five days a week (6×5 group), while the other crammed all 30 into a single day, once a week (30×1 group). Another group only performed six contractions one day a week.

After four weeks, the group doing 30 contractions in a single day did not show any increase in muscle strength, although muscle thickness (an indicator of an increase in muscle size) increased 5.8%.

The group doing six contractions once a week did not show any changes in muscle strength and muscle thickness.

However, the 6×5 group saw significant increases in muscle strength – more than 10% ¡V with an increase in muscle thickness similar to the 30×1 group. “Muscle strength is important to our health. This could help prevent a decrease in muscle mass and strength with ageing,” Nosaka said.

“A decrease in muscle mass is a cause of many chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, some cancers, dementia, plus musculoskeletal problems such as osteoporosis,” Nosaka said.

Further, Nosaka said that there needed to be more emphasis on the importance of making exercise a daily activity, rather than hitting a weekly minute goal.

“If you’re just going to the gym once a week, it’s not as effective as doing a bit of exercise every day at home,” he said. “This research, together with our previous study, suggests the importance of accumulating a small amount of exercise a week, than just spending hours exercising once a week,” Nosaka noted.

Source: IANS